Hunting Advisory

09/12/2008

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke would like to advise community members who hunt in non-Mohawk territories that it may be prudent to take certain measures before embarking upon such activities.

“There was an issue a few years ago where Kahnawa’kehró:non were prosecuted when hunting in Cree territory in northern Quebec,” said Grand Chief Michael Ahríhrhon Delisle, Jr. “More recently, the MCK has received a letter from Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife* advising that their agency has received several complaints from their citizens about members of our community moose hunting in the Gaspé.”

Additionally, that letter states, “In our (Gaspé) region, we consider that all members of your community are obligated to the same hunting regulations as for non-native people.”

Therefore, the MCK advises that hunters first obtain the First Nation’s official written permission to hunt and/or fish in their traditional hunting grounds before doing so. Once permission is obtained it may also be prudent to know whether the First Nation has any special rules for hunting or fishing and whether there are any special conservation measures. Finally, community members should be advised that, even with this permission, Quebec conservation officers may still seize and arrest them for hunting outside their traditional hunting grounds without a provincial license or out of the provincially regulated season.

“Once out of Mohawk Territory, the rules change,” added Chief Martin Leborgne. “In 2005 the AFN passed a resolution* supporting the creation of a protocol allowing First Nations citizens into other First Nations territories for this, and other, related purposes. But neighboring First Nations may have different agreements or arrangements with the provincial or federal governments, and we may not be in a good position to offer assistance should an incident occur.”

(*Both above-mentioned documents are available upon request.)